So I decided to try something revolutionary. My first week of camp made eating right a bit difficult but I held strong until the weekend. Saturday night my wife and I went on a date and decided to try Big Pie in the Sky pizza which is right down the road from our house (and that is not a good thing). Not healthy…but unbelievably good. Click the link to read about their appearance on Man vs Food.

This is our pizza.

This was our neighbors pizza.

So I guess it could have been worse. I’ll have to write about this place some time…I’ll probably need to go back to take some more notes :).

But then after church sunday, my parent’s took us out to the Fruit Jar Café where they’ll carry you out in a wheelbarrow if you’re too full to walk. They were celebrating their anniversary with free drinks and ice cream. Can’t pass up free ice cream…and I got a chili cheese dog.

Sunday night we grilled out some famous Goodwin burgers…but I only had one…and that is some serious self control.

All that to say, I expected to get on the scale this morning and have gained even more weight…but no…

I LOST 3.5 POUNDS!!!

Seriously, I don’t understand this stuff. It just doesn’t make sense.

Anybody want to help me figure it out?

What a great week! What a great group of students. Excited and passionate about worship God.

Technology was our enemy this week – computers failing, in-ears breaking, power black outs, you name it – but GOD WAS STILL GLORIFIED!!! We don’t need no stinkin’ tech to worship God!

My favorite part about the week was meeting the speaker, Brooks Gibbs, whose wife also happens to be in a wheelchair, was also a gymnast (sort of like a cheerleader) and is pregnant and due in just a few days. When we finally got a chance to settle down and chat, I had one of the most encouraging, wise, get-off-my-butt-and-be-better conversations I’ve ever had. One, by the way, I never thought I’d ever have with another human being and was blown away by what we were able to relate to…none of which I am going to share with you :).

If you really want to know, go marry someone in a wheelchair. ;)

WEEK 2

They say the first two weeks are the hardest and well…it was pretty hard. I pushed myself further than I ever have before. 40 minute non-stop workout routine followed by either a 30-45 minute run or an hour bike ride (one in which I rode from Acworth to Cartersville to work) for six straight days both weeks. And I lost a little over 10 pounds. Can you tell? ha…I can’t.

Which is why I think week 3 and beyond is going to be the hardest for me. I am highly motivated but I also know my weaknesses. Food being number one. In fact, eating has been the addiction, the one stronghold my sin nature has had on me. Not to say I’m perfect in every other area, but I am weakest when it comes to food.

I love me some Five Guys…what can I say?

So, I know that the Devil is going to hit me where I am weakest (which he already has). And if/when that doesn’t work, I am confident he will find another weak area that hasn’t been tested in a while and attack me there.

And that is what scares me the most. See, I believe everyone, even the most committed believer struggles with one thing they just can’t get control over. Whether it is coffee, porn, smoking, alcohol, gossip, laziness, food, pride, jealousy, whatever, we all struggle to overcome every aspect of our sin nature. And since I believe that to be true (at least in my experience with my on life), I know that something is coming.

I just pray it is something like coffee…which I don’t drink right now.

In other words, pray for me. I am like walking on eggshells trying to keep my guard up because, trust me, as soon as I let it down, I am going to get jumped from behind and I want even see it coming.

PRAY!

WEEK 1

I’m on a workout routine and am changing what I eat to help the results. Specifically I am doing Power90 which as I understand it is P90x for slower, fatter, more out of shape people (like myself). Basically, it is an older version of P90x with phases that allow a weak, pathetic individual (like myself) to gradually increase the intensity of the workout.

But what I really want to talk about is what I am eating because you would think I was on a diet. And I guess technically I am but there is no plan or format, just a theory and some calorie counting. What is the theory? Glad you asked.

I believe people misinterpret what the “Daniel Fast” is really meant to be. Though by the time chapter 10 rolls around, Daniel is out of government service (Dan 1:21), he is still nobility and has access to the kind of food and feasts accustomed to that class of people. He does not say he is going to just eat fruits and vegetables, he says he is going to give up all the luxury foods he is accustomed to eating. That is the key!

Did you know processed foods are an invention within the last century? Do you know how many centuries people had to keep and store food without refrigeration (fridge invented in 1876)? My point is, in the last 100 years, our eating habits have changed dramatically but the human body, along with how it processes foods and what kinds of foods it needs, is pretty much the same since it was created.

Think about it. Back in the day, the way to keep food was to grow it and pick it when it was ready to eat. Many fruits and vegetables could be stored, but during the winter months, your diet was limited to what would keep the longest and what you could kill. For the most part, the process of killing big beefy animals like cows and deer was reserved for special events with many people in attendance. Why? Cause the meat wouldn’t keep but a few days. That means the majority of your diet during the year was fruits, vegetables, and small containable animals (i.e. fish, fowl, swine, etc.).

So I started thinking, what kinds of foods and what kind of diet would God want his people to have? I’ve heard the “your body is a temple” argument but it is really taking that passage out of context. I’ve heard the arguments about overweight is a sign of a lack of self control, which is a fruit of the spirit, which translates into poor discipline, which probably means you’re are not disciplined in other areas of your life (i.e. spiritual growth, family care, exercise, etc.). Thinking about and dwelling on those ideas, even if I agreed with them, had zero effect on me cause I would always come back to Paul saying I am free to eat whatever I want.

What did worked for me was realizing the mentions of gluttony in scripture are directed to those who have access to hoards of food and eat like kings whenever they choose. In other words, someone else was doing to work to hunting, harvesting, and preparing the meal and they were just eating it and eating it often. Guess what? With a fast food joint on every corner, pizza and chinese delivered to my door, and huge portions at countless restaurants within driving distance from my house, I WAS EATING LIKE A KING EVERY DAY!!! And I believe that is what Daniel wanted to walk away from for a while. He wanted to get away from all the “delicacies” and just eat controlled as God had intended.

And so that is what I am doing. I’m not abandoning my fridge or just eating grass and soy beans. I’m making a concerted effort to not stuff my face every chance I get. I don’t even really care about losing weight (though I’d really like and am trying to), I just want to really be free from any chains that keep me from loving and serving God with 100% of what I have to offer.

That picture of me is a representation of my starting this exercise program and rethinking what I eat. I didn’t have the foresight to get a week 0 pic. I’ll update my progress  every monday (my weigh-in day) so you can see my progress and help keep me accountable (read: if I start looking like death or Fat Albert, call me out.)

If you want to join the bandwagon I have started for myself, hop on!

• left Oak Leaf and went off to “find myself”
• started a company (WG Consulting) and began experimenting my ideas on some willing church plants
• made some incredible relationships with some incredible people at some incredible churches
• prayed hard for obvious open and closed doors in regards to what my next career step was going to be
• read a lot (read: a LOT) of books
• repainted my entire house
• tossed out the nasty carpet and installed hardwood (or something that looks like hardwood)
• completed one knock-off moleskine journal and started another
• completely changed my eating and exercise habits (i know, I’ve said that before but this is different…and I know I’ve said that before but it really is)
• brought on by Oak Leaf to do some consulting work and some project management

In essence, I almost feel like a new man right back where I started. but I’m very glad to have been brought through the fire to be where I am today…refined (on-going process).

as your reading this, I’m on my way to Mexico aboard one of the biggest cruise ships in the world…The Royal Carribean Freedom of the Seas. be jealous. ;)

In all seriousness, the weather is going to be kind of bad so please keep us in your prayers. i’ll be out of touch for a few days…as if that will really make a difference towards my regular blogging habits.

I’ve even got a cool logo :)

But in all seriousness, I’ve had so many meetings the past couple months and have been racking my brain trying to put all the pieces together not only to whether or not there is a need out there but what I can actually give to churches and church leaders that is unique and worth their time and expense

The gap between thriving and struggling churches is growing exponentially wider. WGC exists to help close that gap for the overall betterment of the Kingdom and Christ’s Church by emphasizing excellence in production, planning, programming, and people. This is accomplished by equipping church leaders to take their services to the next level through the unique worship workshops, accurate analysis, and gifted guidance WGC’s offers. From a one day “mystery” evaluation to a multi-week strategic partnership, WGC has the expert knowledge and experience to help leverage momentum by increasing the overall quality of production, visual appeal, volunteer leadership, guest services, organizational systems, and so much more.

Stay tuned for more information. Interested already, email me and let’s talk.

Just so you know, most of my time has been spent reading leadership books, working on a business plan that may or may nt ever actually happen, trying to figure out twittrchurch, and meeting with at least one person a day to try and find any open door out there.

Well…I come to you today to tell you that I think I’ve found a job. Actually, not exactly. I have found a job I’d love to have and I have decided to be so bold as to just ask for it. Literally. I am sending an email right now pretty much saying I deserve the job and am the best candidate for the position no matter who else has their resume in.

So…I need you to pray God makes it obvious to both me and the other parties involved. It is a big career move but a step I think I need to take to stop losing my mind on all these paint fumes (you should follow me on twitter if you have no idea what I’m talking about).

What does that even mean? That may actually be the question at hand. (UPDATE: the picture is supposed to be sarcastic and/or funny)

Jamie and I have been spending countless hours praying over what our next step is going to be. I could go into the military – something I’ve always wanted to do but have been pressured not to (read: wife hates that idea). I could go back to teaching…and spend the next two years doing odds and end jobs while I become re-certified. I could try a regular desk job but I might actually kill someone and that won’t look good on my resume when I most assuredly would have to look for a new job again. 

After having some conversations with several church plant friends either about to start up or struggling after having a year or so from their launch date, i realize my background and experience could help a lot of these young church plants make some serious moves in the right direction. Whether it be the right kind of audio/video/lighting equipment to buy or problem solving church wide issues (I do have the spiritual gift of problem solving), there is a ton of insight I can provide. From training volunteers to working with worship teams to casting vision to providing creative ideas to consolidating to organizing to fixing to polishing to…etc. 

I’ve been an interim worship leader many times but i’ve never thought about actually reaching beyond a few short term opportunities to actually helping the Kingdom as a whole.

The problem is, i don’t even know where to begin. Usually when someone calls me to help I end up doing it because I just love to help. How do I then translate that into something that could actually support my family and is it even a good idea?

hmmmmm…

for the last year I have worked full-time with some of the most gifted and inspiring people I have ever known. The friends and “family” I have made being on staff at a church far surpasses my experiences on staff at a school and traveling around play in all sorts of churches.

it’s one of those things you never thought you’d be doing when you grow up. I never dreamed i’d be a pastor. I never dreamed I would be ministering to adults or be a “music minister” on staff somewhere. And now that is all I ever want to do. worship with, lead with, pray with, pray for, care for. mentor, teach, comfort, excite, ignite,…all while pushing them towards the eternal grace and redeeming love of Jesus Christ.

It is my new passion. and using music to help guide the people I am around into a more concrete and authentic relationship with Jesus Christ makes it that much more enjoyable. Maybe one day i’ll actually have to opportunity to actually be a pastor pastor. who knows? For now, i’m proud to just be a worship pastor at one of the coolest churches in Georgia.

That is, however, until Feb 5 when I will be stepping down as the worship pastor of Oak Leaf and moving onto to something new and more exciting. Not sure what that is yet but i’m excited to find out. And even more excited to know God has prepared my heart for bigger and better things than I ever imagined possible.

for all the oak leafeans out there who stop by here from time to time. I love you all. i will miss singing with you. but i’ll be around so make sure i get a hug. for my production team peeps (marshmallow puffy candy treats), you made me who i am. i could have never accomplished anything if it was not for your diligent servant leadership and devotion to the mission and ministry of Oak Leaf. and for all you church planters out there that read my blog hoping i’ll eventually post something worth reading about church production or worship, stick around. I might still have a few surprises up my sleeve.

so…i hope to still see your comments here and you choose to stay caught up with what god has in store next. It might just blow your mind!!!